UPDATE: Pam Geller has responded. Here is her response to her scrubbing comments - she gets smacked down even further (see the video below) and is under pressure to be investigated
Investigate Pam Geller
Background
A couple of clumsy Christian extremists that this site regularly reports on are candidates for possible connections with the Norwegian Christian terrorist, Anders Behring Breivik BUT it never rains, it pours – the Zionist, Pamela Geller, is squirming big time.
Looks like the chickens are coming home to roost for the Islamophobes, especially so for Pamela Geller. She has been frantically going through her archives and seeking/expunging inflammatory comments linked to Norway to play down her possible role in influencing the right wing Christian terrorist, Anders Behring Breivik.
Exposed: Pamela Geller Concealing Incriminating Norwegian Christian Extremist Comment!
Clip excerpted from Richard Coughlan’s video from his YouTube page, Couglan616
The newcivilrightsmovement.com exposes Pam Geller’s attempts at concealing possible damning evidence linking her with Breivik:
In, “Pamela Geller Edits Post to Conceal Violent Rhetoric in ‘Email from Norway’,” Johnson posts screenshots of Geller’s site, including Google cache images, showing “Pamela Geller’s guilty conscience,” “because as a matter of fact, she edited her post very recently to take out the most incriminating line.”
The “line Geller edited out” is:
We are stockpiling and caching weapons, ammunition and equipment. This is going to happen fast.
Johnson ends with, “Obviously, Pamela Geller is going through her archives and scrubbing any violent rhetoric related to Norway, and equally obviously, she’s doing it to cover her tracks.”
The 2007 Email from Norway as it reads today
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2007/06/email-from-norw.html
The Email as it appears on the Google cache
http://bit.ly/nvL77z
Articles reporting this pre and post edit:
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/norway-shooter-hate-group-head-pamela-geller-scrubbing-prior-evidence/news/2011/07/29/24611
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2755543/posts
Atlas Shrugs is a certified hate group
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/pam_geller_on_splc_hate_gro...
Pamela Geller: The looniest blogger ever
http://www.loonwatch.com/2009/08/pamela-geller-the-looniest-blogger-ever/
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Zionists Influenced Anders Behring Breivik?
I believe racism and Christian fascists/bigots on the internet were amongst the influencing factors on the Norwegian Christian terrorist, Anders Behring Breivik. God willing, we shall discuss an anti-Muslim Christian missionary website linked to the Norwegian terrorist in the future.
At this moment in time it would be worth considering Dr David Duke’s (a white supremacist) claims of Jewish extremists influencing Anders Behring Breivik. Dr David Duke does highlight Breivik’s anti-Muslim Zionist influences; Daniel Pipes, Hans Rustad, Robert Spencer and Pam Geller. He even calls Anders Behring Breivik a “protégé” of Daniel Pipes and Hans Rustad!
Much of the anti-Muslim propaganda on the internet does stem from Zionists (be they Christian fundamentalists, Jewish extremists or secular foreign interventionists). If you are being led by this inflammatory rhetoric you should at least know who is behind its initiation and the motives of these unsavoury Islamophobic folk.
Shocking Video: Zionist Terrorism in Norway
David Duke: Jewish Extremists Praised and Supported the Actions of Breivik
Dr Duke cites a Hebrew website (Rotter) in which comments SUPPORTING the massacre were found!
Of course, this website could all be passed of as an aberration but what about the persistent anti-Muslim rhetoric coming out of the media savvy Zionist camp. Surely such anti-Muslim propaganda will shape easily-led minds…such as Anders Behring Breivik’s mind!
Note: Duke does present some interesting material, his unacceptable racial views should not impact on the interesting material put forward.
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
At this moment in time it would be worth considering Dr David Duke’s (a white supremacist) claims of Jewish extremists influencing Anders Behring Breivik. Dr David Duke does highlight Breivik’s anti-Muslim Zionist influences; Daniel Pipes, Hans Rustad, Robert Spencer and Pam Geller. He even calls Anders Behring Breivik a “protégé” of Daniel Pipes and Hans Rustad!
Much of the anti-Muslim propaganda on the internet does stem from Zionists (be they Christian fundamentalists, Jewish extremists or secular foreign interventionists). If you are being led by this inflammatory rhetoric you should at least know who is behind its initiation and the motives of these unsavoury Islamophobic folk.
Shocking Video: Zionist Terrorism in Norway
David Duke: Jewish Extremists Praised and Supported the Actions of Breivik
Dr Duke cites a Hebrew website (Rotter) in which comments SUPPORTING the massacre were found!
Of course, this website could all be passed of as an aberration but what about the persistent anti-Muslim rhetoric coming out of the media savvy Zionist camp. Surely such anti-Muslim propaganda will shape easily-led minds…such as Anders Behring Breivik’s mind!
Note: Duke does present some interesting material, his unacceptable racial views should not impact on the interesting material put forward.
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
Saturday, 30 July 2011
The Truth About Ka'b Bin Al Ashraf - Just Assassination/Killing...
The unsavoury mix of bigoted Christian fundamentalists/missionaries and other internet critics of Islam make much out of the episode concerning Ka’b Ibn Al Ashraf’s (alternatively spelled as Kab/Kaab Bin Al-Ashraf) assassination by the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (p), this post offers the ENTIRE story rather than the hybrid of half-baked ‘information’ and nutty Islamophobic propaganda put forward by Christians and other critics of Islam.
If you are one of these folks who gains his/her information concerning Islam from unqualified Christian fundamentalists and/or other critics this may be a little too informative for your liking. However, if you are somebody who genuinely wants to gain a sincere understanding on the assassination of Ka’b Ibn Al Ashraf then this post is geared towards your needs.
The post comprises of excerpts from the world renowned Sheikh Al Mubarakpuri, the American scholar Sheikh Mustafa Zayed’s comments on the subject and a detailed audio lecture by Dr Bashar Shala as well as additional comments in the way of summary and perspective.
Who was Ka’ Ibn Ashraf?
Ka’ bin Ashraf was the most resentful person among the Jews with Islam and the Muslims, he was the most intent on inflicting harm on Allah’s Messenger (p), and the most zealous advocate of waging war against him. He belonged to the Tai’ but his mother was from Banu Nadeer. He was a wealthy man known for his handsomeness, and a poet living in luxury in his fort south east of Madinah at the rear of Banu Nadeer’s habitations. [1]
Dr Bashar Shala on the Killing of Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf
What did Ka’b ibn al Ashraf do to deserve being killing?
Dr Shala teaches us of the open hatred and animosity Ka’b bin al Ashraf had against Muslims despite having signed a non-aggression treaty with the Muslims. Poets, back then in Arabia, were propaganda tools. After the Muslim victory at the battle of Badr, Ka’b ibn al Ashraf began to insult Prophet Muhammad and Islam as well as inciting violence against Muslims in order to instigate a war with the intent to wipe out the nascent Muslim community. The last stage of Ka’b’s propaganda campaign was to insult the honor of Muslim women.
Sheikh Al Mubarpakpuri writes on Ka’b Al Ashraf’s incitement to war and his general propaganda campaign:
On hearing the news of Badr, he [Ka’b] got terribly frustrated and swore that he would prefer death to life if the news was true. When this was confirmed he wrote poems satirizing Muhammad (p), praising the Quraish and enticing them against the Prophet (p). He then rode to Makkah where he started to activate the fire of war, and kindle the resentment against the Muslims in Madinah…[2]
…He then returned to Madinah to start a fresh campaign of slanderous propaganda that took the form of obscene songs and amorous poems with a view to defaming the Muslim women. At this stage, the situation became unbearable and could no longer be put up with. [3]
Ka’b bin al Ashraf broke the treaty
Dr Bashar Shala mentions the treaty which Ka’b broke included stipulations such as:
1. Jews should be one nation with Muslims
2. Muslims and Jews should advise and protect each other
3. They should have goodness in their treatment of each other.
4. If Muslims are being fought by an enemy then the Jews should side with the Muslims
Yet Ka’b Ibn Al Ashraf BROKE the treaty to such an extent that he sided with the enemies of the Muslims and proceeded to incite a war against the Muslims in order to completely annihilate Muslims!
Dr Shala asks, did Kaab ibn al Ashraf deserve to be killed? The answer he gives is yes. Simply based on the treaty and the fact that Ka’b was inciting war against the Muslims as well as insulting the honor of their women folk.
War and Deceit? Tricking Ka’b and Christian bigots
Dr Bashar Shala does explain the reason behind the necessity to trick Kab ~ 10-11 min stretch.
Some American Christian bigots on the internet make a melodramatic play on the account that the Muslims tricked Ka’b in order to gain the opportunity to kill him. These bigots typically miss that this was within the theatre of war and Ka’b lived in a fort which was heavily defended by guards/servants, hence the tactic of tricking Ka’b into a false sense of security to get him out in the open. During times of declared war, misleading the enemy is accepted by ALL nations including Christian America. The critics’ inconsistency is outlined by Moustafa Zayed:
All martial arts and war tactics are about deceptive techniques to maximize chances for massive blows to the enemy and achieving victory. But when it comes to Muslims it’s crying about moral absolutes vs. expediency. [4]
Why not fight Ka’b rather than assassinate him?
Why not then fight Ibn Al Ashraf in a battle man to man and face to face like the Muslims and the Quraysh did? The reason is that a leader of the hypocrites like Ibn Al Ashraf never attended the battles, yet he publicly plotted and pushed for conspiracies to annihilate the Muslims, only from the safety behind closed doors. [5]
Islamophobic Propaganda: Killed a POET in a curb against freedom of speech!!!
From the information within Dr Bashar Shala’s lecture we learn the manner in which critics portray the incident is misleading to say the least. Robert Spencer is scolded by Sheikh Mustafa Zayed for such misreporting:
Another piece of misinformation is that [Ka’b] Ibn Al Ashraf was only just a poet! Is the author [Robert Spencer] saying that to make it a freedom-of-speech crime? Maybe he is! [6]
…What the author didn’t tell you about our peaceful, just voicing-his-opinion poet, is that he was one of the provokers of the infidels in Mecca that directed the torture, the starvation and the killing of early Muslims, and specifically was one of the leading instigators to push Quraysh and its leaders to go and destroy the Muslims in the battle of Uhud. [7]
…Our lovely poet was one of the conspirators. In Islamic law and any fair law for that matter, if someone gave himself the right to take your life, then he had given you the right to take his same instant in self-defense…not to mention that Ibn Al Ashraf had committed suicide by putting a “wanted” sign over his head when he violated the honorable reputation of the Muslim wives. [8]
A bonus: miracle of healing
Typically the critics miss the healing miracle of the Muslim who was wounded during the assassination of Ka’b bin Al Ashraf:
The group of men came back after fulfilling their mission. One of them Al-Harith bin Aws was wounded by mistake with the swords of his men, and was bleeding badly. When they reached Baqi’ Al-Gharqad, they shouted “Allah is Most Great”. The Prophet (p) heard them and realized that they had killed the enemy of Allah. As they saw him, he said: “Cheerful faces are yours.” In reply, they said: “And yours, O Messenger of Allah.” They handed the head of the tyrant over to him. He entertained Allah’s praise for their success. He then applied his saliva to Al-Harith’s wound and it healed on the spot. [9]
The Bible and Christian Hypocrisy
Many of these critics are Christian missionaries and/or Christian bigots who feign offense at such an incident. Sadder still, these Christians do this despite knowing of the violent teachings within the Old Testament which would propel these Christians into the realms of inconsistency (hypocrisy). I’m sure Christians and Muslims can think of their own Bible verse (s) (involving killing) which would illustrate the point of inconsistency, here is one which does it quite adequately despite not even involving death:
If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity. [Deuteronomy 25:11-12 NIV]
If our Christian friends can accept the amputating of a woman who helps her husband in a fight with another man by attacking her husband’s assailant via a ‘low blow’ then they can certainly accept the killing of a poet who broke a peace treaty whilst attempting to incite the enemy to destroy Muslims!
Conclusion
The killing of Kab bin al Ashraf was not simply the killing of a “poet”. Sadly, we are being misinformed by Christian “experts” with dubious agendas of conversion and propaganda.
For a further discussion on the assassination of Ka'b ibn al Ashraf by Dr Yasir Qadhi please see:
http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/sabatina-james-killing-of-kab-ibn-al.html
Other links you may be interested in:
How the Muslim calendar works
Sharia Law against terrorism
Christians having dreams and converting to Islam
Learn about Islam
Email: yahyasnow@yahoo.co.uk
[1] Arraheequl Makhtoum, Safiurrahman Al Mubarakpuri, Darusslam, 2002, p 287
[2] Arraheequl Makhtoum, Safiurrahman Al Mubarakpuri, Darusslam, 2002, p 287
[3] Arraheequl Makhtoum, Safiurrahman Al Mubarakpuri, Darusslam, 2002, p 287
[4] The lies about Muhammad - Moustafa Zayed, p 193
[5] The lies about Muhammad - Moustafa Zayed, p 193
[6] The lies about Muhammad - Moustafa Zayed, p 192
[7] The lies about Muhammad - Moustafa Zayed, p 192
[8] The lies about Muhammad - Moustafa Zayed, p 193
[9] Arraheequl Makhtoum, Safiurrahman Al Mubarakpuri, Darusslam, 2002, p 289
Related:
A Christian called Silas being badly scolded by Sami Zaatari on this issue
http://www.answering-christianity.com/sami_zaatri/rebuttal_to_silas_2.htm
New Testament studies for Christians
http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.com/search/label/New%20Testament
A Jewish Tribe executed by Muslims?
http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.com/2011/07/truth-about-banu-qurayza-jews-killed-by.html
If you are one of these folks who gains his/her information concerning Islam from unqualified Christian fundamentalists and/or other critics this may be a little too informative for your liking. However, if you are somebody who genuinely wants to gain a sincere understanding on the assassination of Ka’b Ibn Al Ashraf then this post is geared towards your needs.
The post comprises of excerpts from the world renowned Sheikh Al Mubarakpuri, the American scholar Sheikh Mustafa Zayed’s comments on the subject and a detailed audio lecture by Dr Bashar Shala as well as additional comments in the way of summary and perspective.
Who was Ka’ Ibn Ashraf?
Ka’ bin Ashraf was the most resentful person among the Jews with Islam and the Muslims, he was the most intent on inflicting harm on Allah’s Messenger (p), and the most zealous advocate of waging war against him. He belonged to the Tai’ but his mother was from Banu Nadeer. He was a wealthy man known for his handsomeness, and a poet living in luxury in his fort south east of Madinah at the rear of Banu Nadeer’s habitations. [1]
Dr Bashar Shala on the Killing of Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf
What did Ka’b ibn al Ashraf do to deserve being killing?
Dr Shala teaches us of the open hatred and animosity Ka’b bin al Ashraf had against Muslims despite having signed a non-aggression treaty with the Muslims. Poets, back then in Arabia, were propaganda tools. After the Muslim victory at the battle of Badr, Ka’b ibn al Ashraf began to insult Prophet Muhammad and Islam as well as inciting violence against Muslims in order to instigate a war with the intent to wipe out the nascent Muslim community. The last stage of Ka’b’s propaganda campaign was to insult the honor of Muslim women.
Sheikh Al Mubarpakpuri writes on Ka’b Al Ashraf’s incitement to war and his general propaganda campaign:
On hearing the news of Badr, he [Ka’b] got terribly frustrated and swore that he would prefer death to life if the news was true. When this was confirmed he wrote poems satirizing Muhammad (p), praising the Quraish and enticing them against the Prophet (p). He then rode to Makkah where he started to activate the fire of war, and kindle the resentment against the Muslims in Madinah…[2]
…He then returned to Madinah to start a fresh campaign of slanderous propaganda that took the form of obscene songs and amorous poems with a view to defaming the Muslim women. At this stage, the situation became unbearable and could no longer be put up with. [3]
Ka’b bin al Ashraf broke the treaty
Dr Bashar Shala mentions the treaty which Ka’b broke included stipulations such as:
1. Jews should be one nation with Muslims
2. Muslims and Jews should advise and protect each other
3. They should have goodness in their treatment of each other.
4. If Muslims are being fought by an enemy then the Jews should side with the Muslims
Yet Ka’b Ibn Al Ashraf BROKE the treaty to such an extent that he sided with the enemies of the Muslims and proceeded to incite a war against the Muslims in order to completely annihilate Muslims!
Dr Shala asks, did Kaab ibn al Ashraf deserve to be killed? The answer he gives is yes. Simply based on the treaty and the fact that Ka’b was inciting war against the Muslims as well as insulting the honor of their women folk.
War and Deceit? Tricking Ka’b and Christian bigots
Dr Bashar Shala does explain the reason behind the necessity to trick Kab ~ 10-11 min stretch.
Some American Christian bigots on the internet make a melodramatic play on the account that the Muslims tricked Ka’b in order to gain the opportunity to kill him. These bigots typically miss that this was within the theatre of war and Ka’b lived in a fort which was heavily defended by guards/servants, hence the tactic of tricking Ka’b into a false sense of security to get him out in the open. During times of declared war, misleading the enemy is accepted by ALL nations including Christian America. The critics’ inconsistency is outlined by Moustafa Zayed:
All martial arts and war tactics are about deceptive techniques to maximize chances for massive blows to the enemy and achieving victory. But when it comes to Muslims it’s crying about moral absolutes vs. expediency. [4]
Why not fight Ka’b rather than assassinate him?
Why not then fight Ibn Al Ashraf in a battle man to man and face to face like the Muslims and the Quraysh did? The reason is that a leader of the hypocrites like Ibn Al Ashraf never attended the battles, yet he publicly plotted and pushed for conspiracies to annihilate the Muslims, only from the safety behind closed doors. [5]
Islamophobic Propaganda: Killed a POET in a curb against freedom of speech!!!
From the information within Dr Bashar Shala’s lecture we learn the manner in which critics portray the incident is misleading to say the least. Robert Spencer is scolded by Sheikh Mustafa Zayed for such misreporting:
Another piece of misinformation is that [Ka’b] Ibn Al Ashraf was only just a poet! Is the author [Robert Spencer] saying that to make it a freedom-of-speech crime? Maybe he is! [6]
…What the author didn’t tell you about our peaceful, just voicing-his-opinion poet, is that he was one of the provokers of the infidels in Mecca that directed the torture, the starvation and the killing of early Muslims, and specifically was one of the leading instigators to push Quraysh and its leaders to go and destroy the Muslims in the battle of Uhud. [7]
…Our lovely poet was one of the conspirators. In Islamic law and any fair law for that matter, if someone gave himself the right to take your life, then he had given you the right to take his same instant in self-defense…not to mention that Ibn Al Ashraf had committed suicide by putting a “wanted” sign over his head when he violated the honorable reputation of the Muslim wives. [8]
A bonus: miracle of healing
Typically the critics miss the healing miracle of the Muslim who was wounded during the assassination of Ka’b bin Al Ashraf:
The group of men came back after fulfilling their mission. One of them Al-Harith bin Aws was wounded by mistake with the swords of his men, and was bleeding badly. When they reached Baqi’ Al-Gharqad, they shouted “Allah is Most Great”. The Prophet (p) heard them and realized that they had killed the enemy of Allah. As they saw him, he said: “Cheerful faces are yours.” In reply, they said: “And yours, O Messenger of Allah.” They handed the head of the tyrant over to him. He entertained Allah’s praise for their success. He then applied his saliva to Al-Harith’s wound and it healed on the spot. [9]
The Bible and Christian Hypocrisy
Many of these critics are Christian missionaries and/or Christian bigots who feign offense at such an incident. Sadder still, these Christians do this despite knowing of the violent teachings within the Old Testament which would propel these Christians into the realms of inconsistency (hypocrisy). I’m sure Christians and Muslims can think of their own Bible verse (s) (involving killing) which would illustrate the point of inconsistency, here is one which does it quite adequately despite not even involving death:
If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity. [Deuteronomy 25:11-12 NIV]
If our Christian friends can accept the amputating of a woman who helps her husband in a fight with another man by attacking her husband’s assailant via a ‘low blow’ then they can certainly accept the killing of a poet who broke a peace treaty whilst attempting to incite the enemy to destroy Muslims!
Conclusion
The killing of Kab bin al Ashraf was not simply the killing of a “poet”. Sadly, we are being misinformed by Christian “experts” with dubious agendas of conversion and propaganda.
For a further discussion on the assassination of Ka'b ibn al Ashraf by Dr Yasir Qadhi please see:
http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/sabatina-james-killing-of-kab-ibn-al.html
Other links you may be interested in:
How the Muslim calendar works
Sharia Law against terrorism
Christians having dreams and converting to Islam
Learn about Islam
Email: yahyasnow@yahoo.co.uk
[1] Arraheequl Makhtoum, Safiurrahman Al Mubarakpuri, Darusslam, 2002, p 287
[2] Arraheequl Makhtoum, Safiurrahman Al Mubarakpuri, Darusslam, 2002, p 287
[3] Arraheequl Makhtoum, Safiurrahman Al Mubarakpuri, Darusslam, 2002, p 287
[4] The lies about Muhammad - Moustafa Zayed, p 193
[5] The lies about Muhammad - Moustafa Zayed, p 193
[6] The lies about Muhammad - Moustafa Zayed, p 192
[7] The lies about Muhammad - Moustafa Zayed, p 192
[8] The lies about Muhammad - Moustafa Zayed, p 193
[9] Arraheequl Makhtoum, Safiurrahman Al Mubarakpuri, Darusslam, 2002, p 289
Related:
A Christian called Silas being badly scolded by Sami Zaatari on this issue
http://www.answering-christianity.com/sami_zaatri/rebuttal_to_silas_2.htm
New Testament studies for Christians
http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.com/search/label/New%20Testament
A Jewish Tribe executed by Muslims?
http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.com/2011/07/truth-about-banu-qurayza-jews-killed-by.html
Thursday, 28 July 2011
How to Donate to Somalia Famine Appeal - Islamic Relief
To help people in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia:
http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/NewsDetails2.aspx?id=261
http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/NewsDetails2.aspx?id=261
Monday, 25 July 2011
Did The Prophet Know He Was Going to Heaven? The Qur'an Gives The Answer!
Time and again we've been faced with strange, inane claims made by Christian missionaries with clear intentions to defame Islam. Within the last year Nabeel Qureshi claimed that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was oblivious to whether he'd be granted entry into heaven or not. He alleges that there exists a dissatisfaction in comfort that comes with Islam, because one ultimately does not know his end, including the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
(Verily, it is a river that my Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, has promised me and it has abundant goodness. It is a pond where my Ummah will be brought to on the Day of Judgement. Its containers are as numerous as the stars in the sky. Then a servant of Allah from among them will be (prevented from it) and I will say: "O Lord! Verily, he is from my Ummah (followers).'' Then He (Allah) will say: "Verily, you do not know what he introduced (or innovated) after you.)''[2]
(I entered Paradise and I came to a river whose banks had tents made of pearls. So I thrust my hand into its flowing water and found that it was the strongest (smell) of musk. So I asked, "O Jibril! What is this'' He replied, "This is Al-Kawthar which Allah, the Mighty and Majestic has given you.'')[4]
Al-Bukhari recorded this in his Sahih, and so did Muslim, on the authority of Anas bin Malik. In their version Anas said, "When the Prophet was taken up to the heaven, he said,
(I came to a river whose banks had domes of hollowed pearl. I said: "O Jibril! What is this'' He replied: "This is Al-Kawthar.'')''[5] This is the wording of Al-Bukhari.
«هُوَ نَهْرٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ أَعْطَانِيهِ رَبِّي، لَهُوَ أَشَدُّ بَيَاضًا مِنَ اللَّبَنِ، وَأَحْلَى مِنَ الْعَسَلِ، فِيهِ طُيُورٌ أَعْنَاقُهَا كَأَعْنَاقِ الْجُزُر»
(It is a river in Paradise which my Lord has given me. It is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. There are birds in it whose necks are (long) like carrots.)
«آكِلُهَا أَنْعَمُ مِنْهَا يَا عُمَر»
(The one who eats them (i.e., the people of Paradise) will be more beautiful than them, O `Umar.)[6]
Al-Bukhari also recorded from Sa`id bin Jubayr that Ibn `Abbas said, "Al-Kawthar is the abundant goodness.'' This explanation includes the river and other things as well. Because the word Al-Kawthar comes from the word Kathrah (abundance) and it (Al-Kawthar) linguistically means an abundance of goodness. So from this goodness is the river (in Paradise).
(Say: "Verily, my Salah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.'') (6:162-163)
(And do not eat from what Allah's Name has not been pronounced over, indeed that is Fisq.) (6:121)
Unfortunately Nabeel's babble comes to a direct halt when faced with one of the most beautiful Surah's in the Quran: Surah Al-Kauther (or Al-Kawther). We have taken the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir and reproduced it below from IslamBasics, which clearly indicate the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) will reside in heaven, no questions asked:
The Tafsir of Surat Al-Kawthar
(Chapter - 108)
Which was revealed in Al-Madinah and They also say in Makkah
[بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ ]
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
[إِنَّآ أَعْطَيْنَـكَ الْكَوْثَرَ - فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ - إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الاٌّبْتَرُ ]
(1. Verily, We have granted you Al-Kawthar.) (2. Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice.) (3. For he who hates you, he will be cut off.)
Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i, all recorded from Anas[1] that he said, "While we were with the Messenger of Allah in the Masjid, he dozed off into a slumber. Then he lifted his head smiling. We said, `O Messenger of Allah! What has caused you to laugh' He said,
«لَقَدْ أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَيَّ آنِفًا سُورَة»
(Verily, a Surah was just revealed to me.)
Then he recited,
[إِنَّآ أَعْطَيْنَـكَ الْكَوْثَرَ - فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ - إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الاٌّبْتَرُ ]
(Verily, We have granted you Al-Kawthar. Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice. For he who hates you, he will be cut off.)
Then he said,
«أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْكَوْثَرُ؟»
(Do you all know what is Al-Kawthar)
We said, `Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said,
«فَإِنَّهُ نَهَرٌ وَعَدَنِيهِ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ،عَلَيْهِ خَيْرٌ كَثِيرٌ، هُوَ حَوْضٌ تَرِدُ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، آنِيَتُهُ عَدَدُ النُّجُومِ فِي السَّمَاءِ، فَيُخْتَلَجُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْهُمْ
فَأَقُولُ: رَبِّ إِنَّهُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي، فَيَقُولُ: إِنَّكَ لَا تَدْرِي مَا أَحْدَثَ بَعْدَك»
فَأَقُولُ: رَبِّ إِنَّهُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي، فَيَقُولُ: إِنَّكَ لَا تَدْرِي مَا أَحْدَثَ بَعْدَك»
(Verily, it is a river that my Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, has promised me and it has abundant goodness. It is a pond where my Ummah will be brought to on the Day of Judgement. Its containers are as numerous as the stars in the sky. Then a servant of Allah from among them will be (prevented from it) and I will say: "O Lord! Verily, he is from my Ummah (followers).'' Then He (Allah) will say: "Verily, you do not know what he introduced (or innovated) after you.)''[2]
This is the wording of Muslim. Ahmad recorded this Hadith from Muhammad bin Fudayl, who reported from Al-Mukhtar bin Fulful, who reported it from Anas bin Malik.[3]
Imam Ahmad also recorded from Anas that the Messenger of Allah said,
«دَخَلْتُ الْجَنَّةَ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِنَهْرٍ حَافَتَاهُ خِيَامُ اللُّؤْلُؤِ، فَضَرَبْتُ بِيَدِي إِلَى مَا يَجْرِي فِيهِ الْمَاءُ، فَإِذَا مِسْكٌ أَذْفَرُ، قُلْتُ: مَاهَذَا يَا جِبْرِيلُ؟ قَالَ: هَذَا الْكَوْثَرُ الَّذِي أَعْطَاكَهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَل»
(I entered Paradise and I came to a river whose banks had tents made of pearls. So I thrust my hand into its flowing water and found that it was the strongest (smell) of musk. So I asked, "O Jibril! What is this'' He replied, "This is Al-Kawthar which Allah, the Mighty and Majestic has given you.'')[4]
Al-Bukhari recorded this in his Sahih, and so did Muslim, on the authority of Anas bin Malik. In their version Anas said, "When the Prophet was taken up to the heaven, he said,
«أَتَيْتُ عَلَى نَهْرٍ حَافَتَاهُ قِبَابُ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمُجَوَّفِ فَقُلْتُ: مَا هَذَا يَا جِبْرِيلُ؟ قَالَ: هَذَا الْكَوْثَر»
(I came to a river whose banks had domes of hollowed pearl. I said: "O Jibril! What is this'' He replied: "This is Al-Kawthar.'')''[5] This is the wording of Al-Bukhari.
Ahmad recorded from Anas that a man said, "O Messenger of Allah! What is Al-Kawthar'' He replied,
«هُوَ نَهْرٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ أَعْطَانِيهِ رَبِّي، لَهُوَ أَشَدُّ بَيَاضًا مِنَ اللَّبَنِ، وَأَحْلَى مِنَ الْعَسَلِ، فِيهِ طُيُورٌ أَعْنَاقُهَا كَأَعْنَاقِ الْجُزُر»
(It is a river in Paradise which my Lord has given me. It is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. There are birds in it whose necks are (long) like carrots.)
`Umar said, "O Messenger of Allah! Verily, they (the birds) will be beautiful.'' The Prophet replied,
«آكِلُهَا أَنْعَمُ مِنْهَا يَا عُمَر»
(The one who eats them (i.e., the people of Paradise) will be more beautiful than them, O `Umar.)[6]
Al-Bukhari recorded from Sa`id bin Jubayr that Ibn `Abbas said about Al-Kawthar, "It is the good which Allah gave to him (the Prophet).'' Abu Bishr said, "I said to Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Verily, people are claiming that it is a river in Paradise.''' Sa`id replied, `The river which is in Paradise is part of the goodness which Allah gave him.'''[7]
Al-Bukhari also recorded from Sa`id bin Jubayr that Ibn `Abbas said, "Al-Kawthar is the abundant goodness.'' This explanation includes the river and other things as well. Because the word Al-Kawthar comes from the word Kathrah (abundance) and it (Al-Kawthar) linguistically means an abundance of goodness. So from this goodness is the river (in Paradise).
Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn `Umar that the Messenger of Allah said,
«الْكَوْثَرُ نَهْرٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ حَافَتَاهُ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، وَالْمَاءُ يَجْرِي عَلَى اللُّؤْلُؤِ، وَمَاؤُهُ أَشَدُّ بَيَاضًا مِنَ اللَّبَنِ، وَأَحْلَى مِنَ الْعَسَل»
(Al-Kawthar is a river in Paradise whose banks are of gold and it runs over pearls. Its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey.)[8]
This Hadith was recorded in this manner by At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.''[9]
Then Allah says,
[فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ]
(Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice.)
meaning, `just as We have given you the abundant goodness in this life and the Hereafter -- and from that is the river that has been described previously -- then make your obligatory and optional prayer, and your sacrifice (of animals) solely and sincerely for your Lord. Woship Him alone and do not associate any partner with him. And sacrifice pronouncing His Name alone, without ascribing any partner to Him.' This is as Allah says,
[قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ]
(Say: "Verily, my Salah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all that exists. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.'') (6:162-163)
Ibn `Abbas, `Ata,' Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Al-Hasan all said, "This means with this the Budn should be sacrificed.''[10] Qatadah, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi`, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Al-Hakam, Isma`il bin Abi Khalid and others from the Salaf have all said the same. [11]This is the opposite of the way of the idolators, prostrating to other than Allah and sacrificing in other than His Name. Allah says,
[وَلاَ تَأْكُلُواْ مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَفِسْقٌ]
(And do not eat from what Allah's Name has not been pronounced over, indeed that is Fisq.) (6:121)
[1] Muslim 1:300, Abu Dawud 5:110, and An-Nasai in Al-Kubra 6:533.
[2] Muslim 1:300.
[3] Ahmad 3:102.
[4] Ahmad 3:103.
[5] Al-Bukhari no. 4946.
[6] Ahmad 3:220.
[7] Fath Al-Bari 8:603.
[8] Ahmad 2:67. See Al-Bukhari 4965.
[9] Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi 9:294, Ibn Majah 2:1450, and At-Tabari 24:660.
[10] At-Tabari 24:653.
[11] At-Tabari 24:654.
A Flash From The Past: Nabeel Qureshi Distorts Islamic Teachings
If you guys remembered, earlier this year Yahya Snow came across something peculiar on the net, with the exception of the 'thighing' episode. Who would have known that Nabeel Qureshi, a former member of Acts 17 Apologetics now founder of Creed 2:6, would have the audacity to tell a bold-faced lie to an audience made up entirely of Christians! Astonishing at just what great lengths this man will really go to! Hateful polemics? You guessed right!:
Would Jesus (PBUH) be proud of you for your gratuitous lies against an entire faith?
Sunday, 24 July 2011
John 16:7 - Paraclete or Paracleitos?
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor [Comforter] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. [John 16:7 NIV, also see John 14:6]
A slight change in the Greek word Paraclete of the original text (“comforter”, or Holy Ghost”) turns the word into Paracleitos (“praised one”) which is the meaning in Arabic of the name Muhammad and its cognate Ahmad, also used of the Prophet. The Gospel would then echo the words of the Koran (61:6) [1]
And (remember) when 'Īsā (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: "O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allâh unto you confirming the Taurât [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed. But when he (Ahmed i.e. Muhammad SAW) came to them with clear proofs, they said: "This is plain magic." [Dr Mohsin translation of Quran 61:6]
Gospel of John
Christians tacitly admit the author of John was a liar and Bible scholars trust the author of John the least out of the four Gospel writers, thus such an unholy alteration would certainly be considered within the scope of the author of John. However, more worryingly, dishonest and shadowy figures exist in transmitting the Gospel of John (and the other three Gospels) after the demise of the original author as these shadowy figures (the scribes) are responsible for a known New Testament scribal forgery in the form of a huge CHUNK of text which even Christian scholars acknowledge as a forgery – John 7:53-8:11.
As the author of John is tacitly known as a liar within evangelical circles and those who transmitted the Gospel of John are grossly untrustworthy/deceptive we can have no qualms in believing some shadowy figure involved with the Gospels changed/omitted/or missed parts mentioning Prophet Muhammad (p).
[1] The Concise Encyclopaedia of Islam, Revised Edition, Cyril Glasse, Stacey International, 2001, p86
Tough questions for Christians
http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.com/2011/05/finest-christian-apologist-questioned.html
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
A slight change in the Greek word Paraclete of the original text (“comforter”, or Holy Ghost”) turns the word into Paracleitos (“praised one”) which is the meaning in Arabic of the name Muhammad and its cognate Ahmad, also used of the Prophet. The Gospel would then echo the words of the Koran (61:6) [1]
And (remember) when 'Īsā (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: "O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allâh unto you confirming the Taurât [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed. But when he (Ahmed i.e. Muhammad SAW) came to them with clear proofs, they said: "This is plain magic." [Dr Mohsin translation of Quran 61:6]
Gospel of John
Christians tacitly admit the author of John was a liar and Bible scholars trust the author of John the least out of the four Gospel writers, thus such an unholy alteration would certainly be considered within the scope of the author of John. However, more worryingly, dishonest and shadowy figures exist in transmitting the Gospel of John (and the other three Gospels) after the demise of the original author as these shadowy figures (the scribes) are responsible for a known New Testament scribal forgery in the form of a huge CHUNK of text which even Christian scholars acknowledge as a forgery – John 7:53-8:11.
As the author of John is tacitly known as a liar within evangelical circles and those who transmitted the Gospel of John are grossly untrustworthy/deceptive we can have no qualms in believing some shadowy figure involved with the Gospels changed/omitted/or missed parts mentioning Prophet Muhammad (p).
[1] The Concise Encyclopaedia of Islam, Revised Edition, Cyril Glasse, Stacey International, 2001, p86
Tough questions for Christians
http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.com/2011/05/finest-christian-apologist-questioned.html
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
Double Dutch From an Answeringslam Author – Nakdimon
Here we have the Dutch Christian, yep they still have what some Christians deem as “Holy Spirit inspired Christians” in Holland despite the immoral anarchy of Amsterdam. Quite how Christian folk can believe those Christians have God dwelling within them (yep, that’s the Christian belief) whilst being impotent against the moral decline affecting Christian Europe is one for another day.
Here is the Answering Islam author, Nakdimon, going off on an ill-informed and hypocritical rant to deflect the attention from the fact his colleague (Sam Shamoun) has been peddling gross lies to his gullible Christian audience:
So Yahya, how about some PROOF of what you claim? This is typically you: You claim things and FAIL to provide the evidence. What "christian'' website did Shamoun get this fatwa from? What saudi scholars denounced this fatwa and on the basis of WHAT? Please provide the proof for once in your life. Thanks!
??? + The Irony + Muslims Policing Christian Con Artists
The irony is lost on this bloke as he was presenting his scribbles in the comment section to the video in which Shamoun refuses to present his "files" (aka lies)
Oh Nakdimon, calm down and do a surface level of digging. The proof is a click away on this very blog! What's the matter, are you worried you may land on a page which shatters your faith?
Nakdimon, could you operate in a consistent fashion and get Mr Shamoun to present his “proof” for his lies (aka "files") rather than trading in ill-informed and duplicitous rants. That bloke, Shamoun, has had YEARS to present his 'proof', thus far he has been conning the audience by claiming he has it on his computer (a computer bought by gullible Christian donations) yet to be “translated”.
Do you believe he has been too busy counting and collecting the donations/gifts from gullible/hateful Christians rather that presenting his “proof”. Face facts, the bloke has conned you and is not willing to admit the error in his ways. That’s why they call folk like you the sheep as you will never abjure your colleagues/leaders and ignorantly do their bidding. And that’s why Muslims are required to police Christian ignoramuses, frauds, crooks and charlatans such as Christian Prince, Dakdok, Shamoun, Kamal Saleem, David Wood, Walid Shoebat, Ergun Caner etc..
Oh another thing, it may be faith shattering for you
Seen as we have ANOTHER AI author bothering me with absurdities, we may as well present the tough questions that muted your colleague at Answering Islam (Anthony Rogers). Care to answer these questions or press the mute button in a faith shattering panic?
Sick of Christian hypocrisy?
Are you a Christian who is sick of Christian hypocrisy and dishonesty? Are you a Christian who would like a relationship with God? Come to Islam if the answer to the preceding questions is yes
Iron sharpens iron as one man sharpens another
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
Here is the Answering Islam author, Nakdimon, going off on an ill-informed and hypocritical rant to deflect the attention from the fact his colleague (Sam Shamoun) has been peddling gross lies to his gullible Christian audience:
So Yahya, how about some PROOF of what you claim? This is typically you: You claim things and FAIL to provide the evidence. What "christian'' website did Shamoun get this fatwa from? What saudi scholars denounced this fatwa and on the basis of WHAT? Please provide the proof for once in your life. Thanks!
??? + The Irony + Muslims Policing Christian Con Artists
The irony is lost on this bloke as he was presenting his scribbles in the comment section to the video in which Shamoun refuses to present his "files" (aka lies)
Oh Nakdimon, calm down and do a surface level of digging. The proof is a click away on this very blog! What's the matter, are you worried you may land on a page which shatters your faith?
Nakdimon, could you operate in a consistent fashion and get Mr Shamoun to present his “proof” for his lies (aka "files") rather than trading in ill-informed and duplicitous rants. That bloke, Shamoun, has had YEARS to present his 'proof', thus far he has been conning the audience by claiming he has it on his computer (a computer bought by gullible Christian donations) yet to be “translated”.
Do you believe he has been too busy counting and collecting the donations/gifts from gullible/hateful Christians rather that presenting his “proof”. Face facts, the bloke has conned you and is not willing to admit the error in his ways. That’s why they call folk like you the sheep as you will never abjure your colleagues/leaders and ignorantly do their bidding. And that’s why Muslims are required to police Christian ignoramuses, frauds, crooks and charlatans such as Christian Prince, Dakdok, Shamoun, Kamal Saleem, David Wood, Walid Shoebat, Ergun Caner etc..
Oh another thing, it may be faith shattering for you
Seen as we have ANOTHER AI author bothering me with absurdities, we may as well present the tough questions that muted your colleague at Answering Islam (Anthony Rogers). Care to answer these questions or press the mute button in a faith shattering panic?
Sick of Christian hypocrisy?
Are you a Christian who is sick of Christian hypocrisy and dishonesty? Are you a Christian who would like a relationship with God? Come to Islam if the answer to the preceding questions is yes
Iron sharpens iron as one man sharpens another
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Aisha Sherazi Responds to Muslim Prayer Controversy in Toronto
Remember all that fuss about Friday Muslim prayer being held at a Toronto public school? This article, answers most, if not all, the queries Canadians have about the prayers being conducted at the school. Let's hope the controversy started by secular and so-called 'humanist' groups, dies down. The article is reproduced below for ease of reading:
To date, the social and cultural norm has been for women to pray behind males. I personally have seen many women breastfeeding hungry babies in the mosque, and women help each other out when a child cries. There is a distinct bond created when women sit together, a sisterhood that can provide comfort. Growing up in a Hindu family, men and women always sat separately, even though it wasn't required, it was the cultural norm and seen as respectable. Maybe that has changed now too. For my parents' generation, it was normal.
To be sure, that debate needs to happen, because there wasn't a strict separation of men and women in the times of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It is up to the Muslim community to decide whether menstruating females can pray or not. There is a movement that says it is acceptable. Not everyone agrees.
What should not happen is for the entire world to take this group of kids, and place them under a microscope. That doesn't lend itself to healthy debate. It provokes an insular response.
Smoking is bad for your health. It is a proven fact. And yet, many people continue to smoke. It took us centuries to ban smoking in public places.
]That's why I'm curious as to why certain pressure groups are up in arms about Muslim kids praying on a Friday afternoon in Toronto. Kids could be doing worse things. Smoking would be one of them.
Aisha Sherazi is an Ottawa freelance writer who blogs for the Citizen at ottawacitizen.com/outsidethebox. She is former principal of Abraar School and now works as a pastoral care worker at Merivale High School.
There's been a strong reaction to kids praying at the Valley Park Middle School in Toronto. Certain people appear to be horrified that these students have been given the space to pray in a public school. Some imply that Muslims are being given special treatment.
Nonsense. Any faith group would be accommodated if it were important to them and could be scheduled in. If the walls of the school were lined with Islamic religious edicts and paraphernalia, I might see reason to be concerned for the rights of non-Muslim students. Given that isn't the case, it is misleading to say that Muslims kids are being treated differently. If any students wish to have a prayer group, they should and would be allowed to as per the policies of the Toronto District School Board. The community organized and paid for the services, not the school.
I know of a Christian prayer group that met on a weekly basis in a public school. No one batted an eyelid. Demographics have a lot to do with this. Valley Park School is located in Thorncliffe Park, cited as being the neighbourhood in Canada with the highest percentage of Muslim people. That means that community members probably get together regularly for social functions, as well as religious ones, and prayer is normal for many of the children in the neighbourhood.
I've been surprised about many of the things I have heard and seen in the media. For one thing, contrary to some reports, Friday prayer is not mandatory for girls of any age, or pre-puberty boys. Not only do these kids seem to want to pray on a Friday, the girls are showing up even when they have been excused by the vast majority of Muslim scholars (when they are menstruating). Likely they were curious about all the fuss, and about the way their prayer group was being reported in the media.
Regarding menstruation, being "ritually clean" is a part of prayer, but this has little to do with being male or female. It is widely held that a person praying should be clean of blood, fecal matter and urine. If a man cut his finger, he would have to wait until the wound clots before he could pray.
There has been a lot of discussion about the boys and girls being separated. That has irked a lot of people, who assume sitting behind the boys makes the girls second-class citizens.
It depends on where you are to decide whether that is the case or not. From the children's perspective, I don't think the girls would feel discriminated against. Sitting at the back of the bus is deemed cool. So is sitting at the back of the classroom.
For many Muslims, male and female segregation during prayer, and even at social events has become a cultural norm. But I should stress that this is a cultural, not a faith issue. During the Hajj (or pilgrimage) season, men and women pray side by side. You are lucky to find a spot to pray anywhere close to the focal point of prayer, let alone care about who you are next to. It is up to the Muslim community to have a debate about whether they want to have mixed prayer or not.
Nonsense. Any faith group would be accommodated if it were important to them and could be scheduled in. If the walls of the school were lined with Islamic religious edicts and paraphernalia, I might see reason to be concerned for the rights of non-Muslim students. Given that isn't the case, it is misleading to say that Muslims kids are being treated differently. If any students wish to have a prayer group, they should and would be allowed to as per the policies of the Toronto District School Board. The community organized and paid for the services, not the school.
I know of a Christian prayer group that met on a weekly basis in a public school. No one batted an eyelid. Demographics have a lot to do with this. Valley Park School is located in Thorncliffe Park, cited as being the neighbourhood in Canada with the highest percentage of Muslim people. That means that community members probably get together regularly for social functions, as well as religious ones, and prayer is normal for many of the children in the neighbourhood.
I've been surprised about many of the things I have heard and seen in the media. For one thing, contrary to some reports, Friday prayer is not mandatory for girls of any age, or pre-puberty boys. Not only do these kids seem to want to pray on a Friday, the girls are showing up even when they have been excused by the vast majority of Muslim scholars (when they are menstruating). Likely they were curious about all the fuss, and about the way their prayer group was being reported in the media.
Regarding menstruation, being "ritually clean" is a part of prayer, but this has little to do with being male or female. It is widely held that a person praying should be clean of blood, fecal matter and urine. If a man cut his finger, he would have to wait until the wound clots before he could pray.
There has been a lot of discussion about the boys and girls being separated. That has irked a lot of people, who assume sitting behind the boys makes the girls second-class citizens.
It depends on where you are to decide whether that is the case or not. From the children's perspective, I don't think the girls would feel discriminated against. Sitting at the back of the bus is deemed cool. So is sitting at the back of the classroom.
For many Muslims, male and female segregation during prayer, and even at social events has become a cultural norm. But I should stress that this is a cultural, not a faith issue. During the Hajj (or pilgrimage) season, men and women pray side by side. You are lucky to find a spot to pray anywhere close to the focal point of prayer, let alone care about who you are next to. It is up to the Muslim community to have a debate about whether they want to have mixed prayer or not.
To date, the social and cultural norm has been for women to pray behind males. I personally have seen many women breastfeeding hungry babies in the mosque, and women help each other out when a child cries. There is a distinct bond created when women sit together, a sisterhood that can provide comfort. Growing up in a Hindu family, men and women always sat separately, even though it wasn't required, it was the cultural norm and seen as respectable. Maybe that has changed now too. For my parents' generation, it was normal.
To be sure, that debate needs to happen, because there wasn't a strict separation of men and women in the times of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It is up to the Muslim community to decide whether menstruating females can pray or not. There is a movement that says it is acceptable. Not everyone agrees.
What should not happen is for the entire world to take this group of kids, and place them under a microscope. That doesn't lend itself to healthy debate. It provokes an insular response.
Smoking is bad for your health. It is a proven fact. And yet, many people continue to smoke. It took us centuries to ban smoking in public places.
]That's why I'm curious as to why certain pressure groups are up in arms about Muslim kids praying on a Friday afternoon in Toronto. Kids could be doing worse things. Smoking would be one of them.
Aisha Sherazi is an Ottawa freelance writer who blogs for the Citizen at ottawacitizen.com/outsidethebox. She is former principal of Abraar School and now works as a pastoral care worker at Merivale High School.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
Monday, 18 July 2011
Drunk Racists Beaten up by Muslim Students
Drink sodden racist chavs including a Hindu got more than they bargained for when after hurling racist abuse outside an Islamic College in Bolton the College's Muslim students beat them up with cricket bats.
The hilarious ironic story gets even better because after receiving a hiding and spending time in hospital it was the racists who were given various court sentences. What almost made me fall of my chair with laughter was the Hindu bloke Bhavesh Patel (who got a fractured skull for his efforts) had his racist abuse towards presumably fellow brown people described by his brief as "out of character given his heritage".
LM should point out I do not condone violence particularly as one bloke previously got seriously attacked outside a Pub and left unconscious.
http://londonmuslims.blogspot.com/2011/07/drunk-racists-beaten-up-by-muslim.html
Islamophobia Backfires in Bolton
AN angry mob shouted racist abuse at the gates of an Islamic college, sparking a confrontation with Muslim students, a court heard.
A bottle and stones were thrown after the group of drunken teenagers goaded residents at the college, in Willows Lane, Deane, in March last year.
Two of the group climbed the gates to confront students but were beaten up and taken to hospital, Bolton Crown Court was told.
Niall Briercliffe, Barry Lomax, Aaron Buckley and Bhavesh Patel all admitted affray.
Patel, aged 19, of Brandon Street, Daubhill, was first to enter the college but after he threw missiles about five students rounded on him, leaving him unconscious with a suspected fractured skull.
Defending Patel, Peter Cunliffe said: “His comments were out of character and given his heritage, it makes it all the more strange and deplorable he said those words.”
Buckley, aged 18, of Canterbury Grove, Daubhill, told a doctor he had been attacked with a cricket bat and hit in the face with a brick.
Defending Buckley Nick Ross said: “His provocative behaviour was absolutely unjustified.”
Police investigated the two defendants’ injuries but no charges were brought.
Briercliffe and Lomax stayed behind the gates of the college with a group of others, who swore, shouted racist abuse and some threw stones.
The late-night standoff followed an earlier, unrelated assault at the Willows pub, involving Briercliffe, Lomax and Patel, who also admitted assault.
The court heard they beat up Lee Chadwick in the car park of the pub following a disagreement.
Mr Chadwick, who was in his early 20s and was known to the group, was left unconscious with cuts above his eye and to his lip.
Sentencing, Recorder Brian Cummings QC said: “You went into the grounds of the college, making confrontation almost inevitable.”
Patel was given a 10- month sentence suspended for two years and ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £100 compensation.
Buckley was given a six-month sentence suspended for two years and ordered to complete 60 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £100 costs.
Lomax, aged 18, of Horeb Street, Bolton, was given a 10-month sentence suspended for two years and ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £100 compensation.
Briercliffe, aged 17, of Church Avenue, Daubhill, was given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order and ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/9143866.Racist_abuse_drunks_confronted_students/
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
The hilarious ironic story gets even better because after receiving a hiding and spending time in hospital it was the racists who were given various court sentences. What almost made me fall of my chair with laughter was the Hindu bloke Bhavesh Patel (who got a fractured skull for his efforts) had his racist abuse towards presumably fellow brown people described by his brief as "out of character given his heritage".
LM should point out I do not condone violence particularly as one bloke previously got seriously attacked outside a Pub and left unconscious.
http://londonmuslims.blogspot.com/2011/07/drunk-racists-beaten-up-by-muslim.html
Islamophobia Backfires in Bolton
AN angry mob shouted racist abuse at the gates of an Islamic college, sparking a confrontation with Muslim students, a court heard.
A bottle and stones were thrown after the group of drunken teenagers goaded residents at the college, in Willows Lane, Deane, in March last year.
Two of the group climbed the gates to confront students but were beaten up and taken to hospital, Bolton Crown Court was told.
Niall Briercliffe, Barry Lomax, Aaron Buckley and Bhavesh Patel all admitted affray.
Patel, aged 19, of Brandon Street, Daubhill, was first to enter the college but after he threw missiles about five students rounded on him, leaving him unconscious with a suspected fractured skull.
Defending Patel, Peter Cunliffe said: “His comments were out of character and given his heritage, it makes it all the more strange and deplorable he said those words.”
Buckley, aged 18, of Canterbury Grove, Daubhill, told a doctor he had been attacked with a cricket bat and hit in the face with a brick.
Defending Buckley Nick Ross said: “His provocative behaviour was absolutely unjustified.”
Police investigated the two defendants’ injuries but no charges were brought.
Briercliffe and Lomax stayed behind the gates of the college with a group of others, who swore, shouted racist abuse and some threw stones.
The late-night standoff followed an earlier, unrelated assault at the Willows pub, involving Briercliffe, Lomax and Patel, who also admitted assault.
The court heard they beat up Lee Chadwick in the car park of the pub following a disagreement.
Mr Chadwick, who was in his early 20s and was known to the group, was left unconscious with cuts above his eye and to his lip.
Sentencing, Recorder Brian Cummings QC said: “You went into the grounds of the college, making confrontation almost inevitable.”
Patel was given a 10- month sentence suspended for two years and ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £100 compensation.
Buckley was given a six-month sentence suspended for two years and ordered to complete 60 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £100 costs.
Lomax, aged 18, of Horeb Street, Bolton, was given a 10-month sentence suspended for two years and ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £100 compensation.
Briercliffe, aged 17, of Church Avenue, Daubhill, was given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order and ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/9143866.Racist_abuse_drunks_confronted_students/
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
Saturday, 16 July 2011
The Muslim Reply to The Toronto School Prayer Issue
The Canadian Muslim Lawyers have a thing or two to say about the ongoing debate over whether Muslim students should be allowed to pray at their school on Fridays. The full article is reproduced below:
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/364212#ixzz1SIzw03w2
Canada NewsWire
TORONTO, July 15, 2011
TORONTO, July 15, 2011 /CNW/ - The Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association (CMLA) applauds the decision of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to permit private prayer for one half-hour each week in a designated space at Valley Park Middle School.
This sign of tolerance and respect allows students of the Muslim faith to avoid having to leave school premises to attend the once weekly congregational prayer, which is an essential part of the Islamic faith, and ensures that they can return to class safely and in a timely fashion.
Said Ms. Yusra Siddiquee, Chair of the CMLA: "I am proud to live in a country where we accommodate and respect the cultural and religious needs of various diverse communities within a public school system, so that all children can learn together."
The TDSB is not involved in the prayer service, and students participate voluntarily and with parental consent. The accommodation was requested by the local community, and has been ongoing for three years without complaint.
The TDSB's decision is consistent with provincial and federal human rights laws, which oblige service providers, including public schools, to accommodate religious needs. It furthers the aims of the Education Act by maximizing instruction time for its students. The TDSB's decision upholds the Charter of Rights of Freedoms, which guarantees freedom of conscience and religion for all Canadians. We believe that the TDSB has struck a helpful balance that is in line with the legal obligations of the TDSB, but also furthers the values of tolerance, respect and fairness that Canadians proudly uphold.
The TDSB adopted a community-based approach in fulfilling its legal and ethical obligations, and worked with parents and members of the Valley Park neighbourhood to achieve a solution that accommodates the needs of over 300 students. Organizations across faith lines have come forward to support the prayer accommodations at Valley Park Middle School.
The CMLA applauds the TDSB's commitment to ensuring that the religious needs of all faith groups are respected and accommodated, without imposition or detriment to others.
Endorsed By:
Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association
Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations
Canadian Council of Imams
Canadian Council of Muslim Theologians
Canadian Muslim Civil Liberties Association
Hindu Canadian Alliance
Islamic Circle of North America - Canada
Islamic Foundation of Toronto
Islamic Institute of Toronto
Islamic Society of Markham
Islamic Society of North America - Canada
Islamic Society of Toronto
Islamic Society of Peel
Masjid Darul Iman
Muslim Association of Canada
The Mathabah Foundation
Sri Lankan Islamic Foundation of Ontario
This sign of tolerance and respect allows students of the Muslim faith to avoid having to leave school premises to attend the once weekly congregational prayer, which is an essential part of the Islamic faith, and ensures that they can return to class safely and in a timely fashion.
Said Ms. Yusra Siddiquee, Chair of the CMLA: "I am proud to live in a country where we accommodate and respect the cultural and religious needs of various diverse communities within a public school system, so that all children can learn together."
The TDSB is not involved in the prayer service, and students participate voluntarily and with parental consent. The accommodation was requested by the local community, and has been ongoing for three years without complaint.
The TDSB's decision is consistent with provincial and federal human rights laws, which oblige service providers, including public schools, to accommodate religious needs. It furthers the aims of the Education Act by maximizing instruction time for its students. The TDSB's decision upholds the Charter of Rights of Freedoms, which guarantees freedom of conscience and religion for all Canadians. We believe that the TDSB has struck a helpful balance that is in line with the legal obligations of the TDSB, but also furthers the values of tolerance, respect and fairness that Canadians proudly uphold.
The TDSB adopted a community-based approach in fulfilling its legal and ethical obligations, and worked with parents and members of the Valley Park neighbourhood to achieve a solution that accommodates the needs of over 300 students. Organizations across faith lines have come forward to support the prayer accommodations at Valley Park Middle School.
The CMLA applauds the TDSB's commitment to ensuring that the religious needs of all faith groups are respected and accommodated, without imposition or detriment to others.
Endorsed By:
Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association
Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations
Canadian Council of Imams
Canadian Council of Muslim Theologians
Canadian Muslim Civil Liberties Association
Hindu Canadian Alliance
Islamic Circle of North America - Canada
Islamic Foundation of Toronto
Islamic Institute of Toronto
Islamic Society of Markham
Islamic Society of North America - Canada
Islamic Society of Toronto
Islamic Society of Peel
Masjid Darul Iman
Muslim Association of Canada
The Mathabah Foundation
Sri Lankan Islamic Foundation of Ontario
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/364212#ixzz1SIzw03w2
Friday, 15 July 2011
David 'Thighing' Wood Flashback
Sometimes I wonder what drives David Wood - ringleader of Acts 17 Apologetics - to go to great lengths to 'disprove' Islam. David, if you can still remember we're waiting for your and Sam Shamoun's evidence to the mythical 'thighing' episode you've constantly aired on ABN Sat. Like your friend Walid Shoebat, we know you're just full of hot air. Does it comfort you that you're able to provide your daily bread and butter and so much more by miking your Christian audience? Christians wake up! These man's lunacy knows no bounds!
Question for David Wood:
Would Jesus (PBUH) be proud of you for your gratuitous lies against an entire people?
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Walid Shoebat the Christian Extremist Exposed by Anderson Cooper - CNN
Flags are flying at half mast outside the homes of American Christian extremists as one of their boys has been given a royal spanking on mainstream television – Anderson Cooper’s show on CNN has delivered a knock-out blow to the Christian extremist, Walid Shoebat.
Anderson Cooper exposes the fraud and charlatan, Walid Shoebat, with much of the same information which is available on the internet. However, the fact that mainstream US television is popularizing this information makes for grim news in the households of American fundamentalist Christians.
Walid Shoebat Investigated and Exposed - Appetiser
We all know Walid Shoebat is a Fraudster
We knew Walid Shoebat was a con man milking gullible Christians for cash with a bogus ‘former terrorist’ story, now EVERYONE knows to the dislike of Shoebat’s American Christian fundamentalist colleagues. I just hope the gullible little old ladies and bigots sitting on pews in American churches all took note of Anderson Cooper’s show. I mean, surely church leaders in America will not want this con man to continue milking Christians for cash…
Walid Shoebat’s absurd porkies are popularized
Walid Shoebat’s cousin exposes him as a regular kid rather than some terrorist
Walid Shoebat’s “bank”, which he claimed to have “bombed”, exposed him as they have no record of such a “bombing”
Walid Shoebat’s “Israeli detention centre”, which he claimed detained him for the “bombing”, exposed him as they have no record of such.
Perhaps some would find the strangest episode being that of the other Christian fundamentalists (ABN, Pat Robertson's CBN etc.) BELIEVING Shoebat. Yes, some people actually believed him!
I bet there are still some today, believing Shoebat's silly yarns.
Walid Shoebat’s ill gotten gains
CNN offer us insight into Shoebat’s lucrative career. The extent of Walid Shoebat’s money-making operation is investigated. Looks like American Christian fundamentalist communities are money-making hives for con men who can spew the hatred which the bigots want to hear.
‘Holy Spirit guided Christians’ in bed with a con man
Whenever Christian con artists such as Walid Shoebat are exposed I always wonder to myself why the Christian victims (the flock) never question their belief of having the ‘Holy Spirit dwelling within’ them as surely their belief would dictate they would be far above being befooled by con men…
Bassim Gorial, care to explain…
A sad day for American Christian extremists but a good day for the truth
More on Walid Shoebat
Walid Shoebat has a dishonest friend named Kamal Saleem
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
Anderson Cooper exposes the fraud and charlatan, Walid Shoebat, with much of the same information which is available on the internet. However, the fact that mainstream US television is popularizing this information makes for grim news in the households of American fundamentalist Christians.
Walid Shoebat Investigated and Exposed - Appetiser
We all know Walid Shoebat is a Fraudster
We knew Walid Shoebat was a con man milking gullible Christians for cash with a bogus ‘former terrorist’ story, now EVERYONE knows to the dislike of Shoebat’s American Christian fundamentalist colleagues. I just hope the gullible little old ladies and bigots sitting on pews in American churches all took note of Anderson Cooper’s show. I mean, surely church leaders in America will not want this con man to continue milking Christians for cash…
Walid Shoebat’s absurd porkies are popularized
Walid Shoebat’s cousin exposes him as a regular kid rather than some terrorist
Walid Shoebat’s “bank”, which he claimed to have “bombed”, exposed him as they have no record of such a “bombing”
Walid Shoebat’s “Israeli detention centre”, which he claimed detained him for the “bombing”, exposed him as they have no record of such.
Perhaps some would find the strangest episode being that of the other Christian fundamentalists (ABN, Pat Robertson's CBN etc.) BELIEVING Shoebat. Yes, some people actually believed him!
I bet there are still some today, believing Shoebat's silly yarns.
Walid Shoebat’s ill gotten gains
CNN offer us insight into Shoebat’s lucrative career. The extent of Walid Shoebat’s money-making operation is investigated. Looks like American Christian fundamentalist communities are money-making hives for con men who can spew the hatred which the bigots want to hear.
‘Holy Spirit guided Christians’ in bed with a con man
Whenever Christian con artists such as Walid Shoebat are exposed I always wonder to myself why the Christian victims (the flock) never question their belief of having the ‘Holy Spirit dwelling within’ them as surely their belief would dictate they would be far above being befooled by con men…
Bassim Gorial, care to explain…
A sad day for American Christian extremists but a good day for the truth
More on Walid Shoebat
Walid Shoebat has a dishonest friend named Kamal Saleem
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
Sunday, 10 July 2011
The Truth About Banu Qurayza - Jews Killed by Bible Judgement?
The Banu Qurayza’s demise is one which critics of Islam manipulate to work their Islamophobic agendas (and in many cases Christian evangelical agendas!). This article is for those who actually want to cut through the Islamophobia whilst understanding the main issues relating to Banu Qurayzah (Quraiza). For those who simply follow ill-informed Christian evangelists/bigots without the merest hint of research or credentials then this piece is not for you.
Firstly, the number of Jews killed in the incident is uncertain. The figures generally banded around number 600-900. Karen Armstrong uses the figure of 700 [1].
Who was the Banu Qurayza?
The Banu Qurayza (Arabic: بني قريظة; بنو قريظة alternate spellings include Quraiza, Qurayzah, Quraytha, and the archaic Koreiza) were a Jewish tribe which lived in northern Arabia, at the oasis of Yathrib (presently known as Medina), until the 7th century, when their conflict with Muhammad led to their demise, after the Invasion of Banu Qurayza, took place in the Dhul Qa‘dah, 5 A.H i.e. in February/March, 627 AD [2]
An Encyclopaedic view on Banu Qurayzah
The most concise depiction of the issues relating to the Jews of Banu Qurayzah that I have come across is from the learned Cyril Glasse’s Encyclopaedia of Islam. Points made by Cyril Glasse shall be presented with interjections of an explanatory nature.
Qurayzah. A Jewish tribe of Medina that betrayed the Muslims during the battle of the Trench. When the Quraysh abandoned the siege of the city, Gabriel commanded the Prophet not to lay down arms until the Qurayzah were subdued. Their hands freed by the departure of the Quraysh and their confederates, the Muslims turned upon the Banu Qurayzah and besieged their defensive towers for twenty five days. [3]
[The Quraysh were the pagan tribe from Mecca who attempted to exterminate the nascent Muslim community (and Prophet Muhammad, p) in the battle of the Trench. They marched up to Medina with the sole intent of annihilating the Muslims. The Qurayzah betrayed the Muslims and allied with the Quraish, thus further jeopardising the existence of the Muslim community]
Who decided the men of Banu Qurayza should be killed and why?
When the Banu Qurayzah surrendered they were judged, as a concession, by Sa’d ibn Muadh, a chief of their former allies, the Aws; lying on his deathbed, in pain from a wound inflicted during the fighting with the Quraysh, he passed a rigorous judgement: the adult men should be put to death and the women and children sold into slavery. [3]
[Later on in this segment, Glasse lets us know this ruling is within the BIBLE (Deut 20:12) and most likely Sa’d ibn Muadh was using their law to judge them.
12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies. {Deuteronomy 20:12-14New International Version (NIV)}
The Christian bigots and other critics do not relay the information that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had NOTHING to do with the judgement which befell the Banu Qurayzah and moreover, the BIBLE, most likely, had more to do with the punishment of this tribe of Jews (Banu Qurayzah).than any other text or teaching]
Cyril Glasse: criticism concerning the Banu Qurayzah is unfair
In books written in the West, the episode has been the occasion for criticism as an example of extreme cruelty. But it was not as unusual event; similar punishment was meted out elsewhere, as is the destruction of the Albigensians in France, for example and for much the same reason. It is the case of the final judgement overtaking people while still in this world. [3]
The Bible teaches such punishments
The irony is quite immense. Some of the Christian bigots and evangelists using this event to shock folk into leaving Islam wind up with egg on their face as the punishment meted out to the Banu Qurayzah seems very much biblical. The extent of ignorance amongst Christian Islamophobes and evangelists regarding the bible never ceases to amaze us – only the ignorant Christians use the incident of the Banu Qurayzah as criticism and/or evangelical pieces.
In the Bible there are numerous comparable cases. Jewish law itself prescribes such treatment for the conquest of a city as a matter of course, even when betrayal is not in question:
[Glasse cites Deuteronomy 20:12, here is the NIV translation of Deuteronomy 20:12-14:
12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies.]
This is perhaps why Sa’d ibn Muadh gave the Qurayzah this sentence; that their own law should be used on them [3]
Exiling Banu Qurayzah Vs. Biblical Judgement (killing) of Banu Qurayzah
Though it may sound quite callous, it must be stated that the wisdom of using the biblical judgement (killing) outweighed the simple exiling of the Banu Qurayzah in the way of the Banu Nadir and Banu Qaynuqa as an exile would have meant a swelling of enemy ranks within Khaybar and advancing a potential threat to the existence of the nascent Muslims society. [3]
Karen Armstrong writes:
The massacre of Qurayzah was a horrible incident, but it would be a mistake to judge it by the standards of our own time. This was a very primitive society: the Muslims themselves had just narrowly escaped extermination, and had Muhammad simply exiled Qurayzah they would have swelled the Jewish opposition in Khaybar and brought another war upon the ummah. In seventh-century Arabia an Arab chief was not expected to show mercy traitors like Qurayzah. The executions sent a grim message to Khaybar and helped to quell the pagan opposition in Medina, since the pagan leaders had been the allies of the rebellious Jews. This was a fight to the death, and everybody had always known the stakes were high. [1]
Hating Jews?
Sadly, critics and some of the unlearned Christian bigots and evangelists use this event to promote the idea of Muslims being inherently anti-Jew. Karen Armstrong corrects such misconstructions:
The struggle did not indicate any hostility towards Jews in general, but only towards the three rebel tribes…
…Smaller Jewish groups continued to live in Medina, and later Jews, like Christians, enjoyed full religious liberty in the Islamic empires. Anti-Semitism is a Christian vice. Hatred of the Jews became marked in the Muslim world only after the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent loss of Arab Palestine. [1]
[1] Islam - A Short History, Karen Armstrong, Phoenix Press, 2001, p18
[2] Wikipedia on Banu Qurayza
[3] The Concise Encyclopaedia of Islam, Revised Edition, Cyril Glasse, Stacey International, 2001 p374
Hijab and the Bible
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
Firstly, the number of Jews killed in the incident is uncertain. The figures generally banded around number 600-900. Karen Armstrong uses the figure of 700 [1].
Who was the Banu Qurayza?
The Banu Qurayza (Arabic: بني قريظة; بنو قريظة alternate spellings include Quraiza, Qurayzah, Quraytha, and the archaic Koreiza) were a Jewish tribe which lived in northern Arabia, at the oasis of Yathrib (presently known as Medina), until the 7th century, when their conflict with Muhammad led to their demise, after the Invasion of Banu Qurayza, took place in the Dhul Qa‘dah, 5 A.H i.e. in February/March, 627 AD [2]
An Encyclopaedic view on Banu Qurayzah
The most concise depiction of the issues relating to the Jews of Banu Qurayzah that I have come across is from the learned Cyril Glasse’s Encyclopaedia of Islam. Points made by Cyril Glasse shall be presented with interjections of an explanatory nature.
Qurayzah. A Jewish tribe of Medina that betrayed the Muslims during the battle of the Trench. When the Quraysh abandoned the siege of the city, Gabriel commanded the Prophet not to lay down arms until the Qurayzah were subdued. Their hands freed by the departure of the Quraysh and their confederates, the Muslims turned upon the Banu Qurayzah and besieged their defensive towers for twenty five days. [3]
[The Quraysh were the pagan tribe from Mecca who attempted to exterminate the nascent Muslim community (and Prophet Muhammad, p) in the battle of the Trench. They marched up to Medina with the sole intent of annihilating the Muslims. The Qurayzah betrayed the Muslims and allied with the Quraish, thus further jeopardising the existence of the Muslim community]
Who decided the men of Banu Qurayza should be killed and why?
When the Banu Qurayzah surrendered they were judged, as a concession, by Sa’d ibn Muadh, a chief of their former allies, the Aws; lying on his deathbed, in pain from a wound inflicted during the fighting with the Quraysh, he passed a rigorous judgement: the adult men should be put to death and the women and children sold into slavery. [3]
[Later on in this segment, Glasse lets us know this ruling is within the BIBLE (Deut 20:12) and most likely Sa’d ibn Muadh was using their law to judge them.
12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies. {Deuteronomy 20:12-14New International Version (NIV)}
The Christian bigots and other critics do not relay the information that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had NOTHING to do with the judgement which befell the Banu Qurayzah and moreover, the BIBLE, most likely, had more to do with the punishment of this tribe of Jews (Banu Qurayzah).than any other text or teaching]
Cyril Glasse: criticism concerning the Banu Qurayzah is unfair
In books written in the West, the episode has been the occasion for criticism as an example of extreme cruelty. But it was not as unusual event; similar punishment was meted out elsewhere, as is the destruction of the Albigensians in France, for example and for much the same reason. It is the case of the final judgement overtaking people while still in this world. [3]
The Bible teaches such punishments
The irony is quite immense. Some of the Christian bigots and evangelists using this event to shock folk into leaving Islam wind up with egg on their face as the punishment meted out to the Banu Qurayzah seems very much biblical. The extent of ignorance amongst Christian Islamophobes and evangelists regarding the bible never ceases to amaze us – only the ignorant Christians use the incident of the Banu Qurayzah as criticism and/or evangelical pieces.
In the Bible there are numerous comparable cases. Jewish law itself prescribes such treatment for the conquest of a city as a matter of course, even when betrayal is not in question:
[Glasse cites Deuteronomy 20:12, here is the NIV translation of Deuteronomy 20:12-14:
12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies.]
This is perhaps why Sa’d ibn Muadh gave the Qurayzah this sentence; that their own law should be used on them [3]
Exiling Banu Qurayzah Vs. Biblical Judgement (killing) of Banu Qurayzah
Though it may sound quite callous, it must be stated that the wisdom of using the biblical judgement (killing) outweighed the simple exiling of the Banu Qurayzah in the way of the Banu Nadir and Banu Qaynuqa as an exile would have meant a swelling of enemy ranks within Khaybar and advancing a potential threat to the existence of the nascent Muslims society. [3]
Karen Armstrong writes:
The massacre of Qurayzah was a horrible incident, but it would be a mistake to judge it by the standards of our own time. This was a very primitive society: the Muslims themselves had just narrowly escaped extermination, and had Muhammad simply exiled Qurayzah they would have swelled the Jewish opposition in Khaybar and brought another war upon the ummah. In seventh-century Arabia an Arab chief was not expected to show mercy traitors like Qurayzah. The executions sent a grim message to Khaybar and helped to quell the pagan opposition in Medina, since the pagan leaders had been the allies of the rebellious Jews. This was a fight to the death, and everybody had always known the stakes were high. [1]
Hating Jews?
Sadly, critics and some of the unlearned Christian bigots and evangelists use this event to promote the idea of Muslims being inherently anti-Jew. Karen Armstrong corrects such misconstructions:
The struggle did not indicate any hostility towards Jews in general, but only towards the three rebel tribes…
…Smaller Jewish groups continued to live in Medina, and later Jews, like Christians, enjoyed full religious liberty in the Islamic empires. Anti-Semitism is a Christian vice. Hatred of the Jews became marked in the Muslim world only after the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent loss of Arab Palestine. [1]
[1] Islam - A Short History, Karen Armstrong, Phoenix Press, 2001, p18
[2] Wikipedia on Banu Qurayza
[3] The Concise Encyclopaedia of Islam, Revised Edition, Cyril Glasse, Stacey International, 2001 p374
Hijab and the Bible
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
American Christian Bigots and the Female Afghan Parliament Fight
So a small fight breaks out within the Afghan parliament between a couple of females MPs and this American Christian bigot starts blaming Islam. I’m not kidding, he really starts to blame Islam for this!
Over last couple of decades American Christians have been dropping bombs on the heads of Muslim men, women and children in a merciless fashion (as well as shooting, raping and torturing) yet I don’t see Muslims blaming Christianity for the American Christian acts of butchery. These are acts of butchery which American Christians are still perpetrating – I guess their thirst for blood, specifically Muslim blood, has not been quenched. Why don’t we not supply these crazed American Christians with violent video games in the stead of real life weaponry – it would be a lot safer for the rest of the world.
Christians fighting each other
Maybe the Christian bigot being addressed believes these Christians (see video below) are fighting each other (Christians vs. Christians) to help their efforts to convert Muslims to Trinitarian Christianity (essentially the worship of a man, Prophet Jesus PBUH), after all, he does espouse some real nutty views.
Our advice to this American Christian bigot is to forget about promoting bigotry by commenting on a small fight in the puppet parliament of Afghanistan (puppetry controlled by none other than American Christians) and concentrate your mind on why ‘holy spirit inspired Christians’ are fighting each other and butchering Muslims. Perhaps you would like to explain why the two World Wars were Christian on Christian battles? In order to do so coherently, you need to get back on your rocker…
Christians fight other Christians for the control of a church
Armenian and Greek Orthodox Christians clashed for the control of the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City
To watch the continuation of this confrontation:
http://www.acommonword.net/2011/07/orthodox-christians-beating-holy-hell.html
American Christian bigot Dave
As for the Christian bigot who was blaming Islam, here he is getting rebuked by a commentator:
Just had to comment on the latest addition to the bigot fest that is David Wood's blog...
*Female MPs Get into Cat Fight on Floor of Afghan Parliament*
Of course Wood attributes this incident to Islam and those who follow prophet Muhammad (saws)...you know, the usual reductive and bigoted nonsense.
But perhaps he would like to explain these examples using the same criteria?
America
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlXKBribICs&feature=player_embedded
South Korea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHMrgwAuJ_U
Russia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGqa4ATZhC8&feature=player_embedded#at=13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZGaaqH2o6I&feature=player_embedded#at=59
Ukraine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLfLT9xMVuo#
Because democracy doesn't change people's hearts. It simply brings to light the attitudes of the majority...isn't that right Dave?
[What's the betting on the American fundy Christian Dave censoring such a comment...]
The David Wood section
What every Christian should know about the Bible
Feedback: yahyasnow@hotmail.com
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